Eu rates for gas , electricty ,fuel etc

[caminito]

Here are the official EU rates for Gas, Electricity, Fuel, etc. You will see that both gas and electricity is more expensive in Spain than in the UK. http://www.energy.eu/

[Dottie1943]

Caminito,like you I have lived in Spain and are very aware of the costs of both electric and gas there, it is very expensive! Not only that our gas was in bottles and we had to go and collect the bottles from the stores and garages.

[Papaumau]

Interesting sets of figures !

I also noticed that while Britain was cheaper than many of the European states as far as Gas and electricity is concerned I might suggest that maybe this is because we still have our own natural gas and we generate much of our own electricity by our own North Sea oil, gas and coal. ( We do not need to import a lot of these commodities like many of the European states do ).

Looking at unleaded fuel costs.... We see that there are only three of the European states that are more expensive than we are, namely: The Nederlands, Greece and Denmark, while Spain was actually cheaper than we are.

I guess that as far as comparisons is concerned it is a case of "swings and roundabouts".

[stevepas]

The pricing differential is due to taxation policies.
Possibly one of the few things left that will have to be given up to the EU.

Our actual gas and electricity prices are higher than the average european nation,
Its all about the taxes, UKgov taxes on elec and gas are far smaller than most EU members.

It would have been cheaper but for the EU.........
We were told we HAD to pay VAT 'to (partially) fall in line with europe'
not the same amount more of a token to keep europe happy.

That was many bills ago.

My memory is rusty but I seem to remember it was part of a VAT on everything EU harmonisation policy, including vat on books (that keeps re-appearing), rent and all clothes.

[Papaumau]

Yes stevepas...it is mostly about TAXES.

While we are mostly a low income tax country compared with majority of the EU states our VAT and the other stealth taxes make up for this.

I am sure if all of the taxation levels were the same for all subjects right around Europe - including us - we would then be much more able to make decent and realistic comparisons.

The latest move in the EU to try to tighten up the tax and debt problems that Germany and France attempted to bring in, ( and which Cameron vetoed ), WOULD have made for a much healthier and less reckless set of member states.

Now that it is up in the air and the British financial sector are going to be protected from this tightening up exercise in Europe we in Britain are just going to find that "more-of-the-same" will happen with the banks and the speculators in the London square mile.

I just hope that this continuation of loose controls in the British financial sector does not lead us into more dangerous waters in the future.

[David G]

Yes stevepas...it is mostly about TAXES. Our taxes, they want more of them. Eurocrats demand Britain be stripped of  more cash via the business transaction tax. Cameron refuses
Eurocrats demand Britain be stripped of more cash ( our rebate ) in petty childish revenge for Camerons refusal.
Do you get the impression they aren't interested in our opinions? all the Eurocrats want to do is strip Britain of more cash to pay for all of Europes profligacy and waste? .

[stevepas]

Yes stevepas...it is mostly about TAXES.

While we are mostly a low income tax country compared with majority of the EU states our VAT and the other stealth taxes make up for this.

Too right the only time our government shows cunning, is when taking money from us and lining their own pockets

I am sure if all of the taxation levels were the same for all subjects right around Europe - including us - we would then be much more able to make decent and realistic comparisons.

our taxation level will rise to meet europes in other words, I see no reason why it would not reach 110% of income

The latest move in the EU to try to tighten up the tax and debt problems that Germany and France attempted to bring in, ( and which Cameron vetoed ), WOULD have made for a much healthier and less reckless set of member states.

If the germans and french were worried about reckless states they shouldn't have got into bed with them. The EU purposely and conveniently missed the fact that greece was bankrupt before entering the euro, the latest move was waaaaay too late.

Cameron vetoed the theft of more tax from the uk to loose into the EU
see 4.7 billion lost by eu in one year more than the uk nett contribution for the same year 4.3billion !

Now that it is up in the air and the British financial sector are going to be protected from this tightening up exercise in Europe we in Britain are just going to find that "more-of-the-same" will happen with the banks and the speculators in the London square mile.
I have nothing against the city being taxed as long as WE get to burn the money rather than europe burn it

I just hope that this continuation of loose controls in the British financial sector does not lead us into more dangerous waters in the future.

its way tooo late for that, thatcher, major, blair, brown de-regulated, turned a blind eye to the city and UK gov (brown) sat back and said no more boom and bust.
The city has accidentally self-regulated (burnt its fingers) so well it darn't lend to anyone thats partly why the greeks are paying 30% yield. Agreed they may return to their ways but the UK gov could easily legislate.
p.s. its the global financial sector

David G has nailed it.